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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016
Commerce Police Department incidents
Man grabs cash, threatens
to kill cashier following him
A man snatched $220 in
cash from the cash register
at the AmBest Travel Center
on Maysville Road on May 28
then threatened to shoot the
cashier when she followed
him into the parking lot.
A Commerce police officer
was actually entering the park
ing lot of the business when
he got a report from dispatch
of an armed robbery at the
business. He met a male wit
ness, who told him the sub
ject, a black male in his 30s,
had already left the store in
a dark-colored SUV turning
southbound on Interstate 85.
The officer said he gave
chase, but due to the heavy
traffic could not catch up with
the suspect vehicle, so he
returned to the store.
Police had everyone in the
store exit while they worked
the crime. The clerk said the
man came to the counter to
purchase a single item and
when she opened the cash
register, he reached in and
grabbed cash from the $20 bill
section of the drawer. He left
the store and she followed him
out, where the man turned to
her, told her if she continued
to follow him, he would shoot
her. She went back inside and
called 911.
The male witness said he
saw the suspect exit the store
with the clerk following him
and heard the man say he had
a gun and would shoot her
if she did not stop following
him.
Other Incidents
Other recent incidents
to which Commerce police
responded include:
•theft by taking and enter
ing an auto at Miller and Miller
Sales, State Street. The own
ers told police that someone
stole a Jeep Wrangler valued
at $12,000 from the lot. Video
of the incident showed a male
enter another vehicle and try
to take it, and trying to open
several locked doors before
entering a 1992 Jeep Cherokee
Laredo, where he removed
the cover from the steering
column, popped the ignition,
but was unable to steal the
vehicle. Police recovered a key
not related to the vehicle, a
pair of pliers and the broken
ignition. Police also recovered
a T-shirt believed to have been
worn by the thief.
•recovery of a 1997 Nis
san Maxima reported stolen
in Madison County. An offi
cer saw it parked behind a
construction site on State
Street. There was some indi
cation that the same vehicle
had been involved earlier in
a chase with Jackson County
deputies.
• detention of two juveniles
stopped on Shankle Heights
for failure to maintain a lane.
The officer noted the small of
marijuana and saw bits of mar
ijuana throughout the vehicle.
He contacted the parents of
the occupants and turned the
juveniles over to them without
charges.
•entering an auto at CMC
Consulting, Homer Road,
where a customer reported to
the owner damage to a com
pany van parked behind the
business. Someone broke the
window in a door and stole a
quantity of tools from the van.
•attempted shoplifting at
Tractor Supply Co., Homer
Road. An employee saw a
bald white male carrying two
car batteries out of the store
toward a pickup truck. When
he confronted the man, the
suspect put the batteries down,
walked to the truck, folded
the tag in half to obscure the
number and drove off toward
Banks Crossing. The store’s
surveillance system apparently
captured the entire incident.
• theft of services at a Ridge
way Road location where a
woman whose power had
been cut off for nonpayment
said her brother went into the
meter and turned it back on
without paying the balance.
The man claimed he was bor
rowing power from a neighbor
with a drop cord. A neighbor
confirmed she had agreed to
let him use a drop cord but
also said she noticed that over
head lights and other items
that could not have been pow
ered by a drop cord were on.
•battery at a Leigh Street
address where the male com
plainant said a man came to
his residence to see a woman.
The complainant asked the
man to leave, but the man
refused, began arguing and
struck the complainant in the
face with his fist before leaving.
The complainant said he did
not strike the other man.
•theft by taking at a State
Street construction site where
someone stole 14 windows
stored inside the building.
•damage to property at
Heritage Crossing Apartments,
where a vehicle received
a scuff mark, possibly from
being struck by a bicycle.
•damage to property on
Mt. Olive Church Road. A
woman left her vehicle, which
was out of gas, on the side
of the road, and when she
returned she found damage
to the front passenger side of
the vehicle.
•criminal damage to the
State Farm building, North
Broad Street, where the win
dow in the front door was shat
tered, but was still intact. There
was a small hole in the glass,
similar to what a BB would
cause. The damage was esti
mated at $500.
•theft by taking at a North-
view Drive address where
someone broke into a utili
ty building, stole a pressure
washer valued at $3,000, an
extension ladder worth $112,
and some cleaning items
worth $80.
•a burglary at the Tiger
Town Pharmacy building,
Homer Road, where some
one entered through a hole
in the side of the building,
entered the bathroom, moved
the toilet out of the way and
other items around, but did
not appear to have stolen any
thing. There was also damage
to the outside drop box, sug
gesting someone tried to pry
it open.
•an animal complaint on
South Broad Street where a
woman said the neighbor’s
dog came into her yard,
grabbed her cat and dragged
it to another yard. The offi
cer found the cat, which was
dead, lying next to a pair of
dogs. He turned the case over
to the animal control officer,
who cited the owner for allow
ing an “animal at large.”
•theft by taking at an Old
Maysville Road address where
a man said someone stole
three carburetors and an alu
minum valve cover from his
shop. He gave police the name
of a potential suspect.
• criminal trespass on Pine
Street where someone appar
ently struck a mailbox and
brick wall with a vehicle.
• a dispute on Old Harden
Orchard Road in which kids
allegedly “teabagged” each
other.
• recovery of two juveniles,
one of which had run away
from Barrow County as they
smoked cigarettes in the park
ing lot of Walgreens. Barrow
County agreed to pick up the
female, but did not want the
male, who was allowed to
leave the property.
• simple battery at an
Andrew Jackson Street
address where a boy and a girl
got into a dispute because the
boy did not believe that a mes
sage the girl got on her phone
was from her mother.
•a death investigation at
a Paula Street address. The
police report available for pub
lic inspection did not provide
any details.
lackson County incidents
Woman loses $400 in Craigslist scam
A Nicholson woman was
the victim of a theft by decep
tion after she paid a deposit
for a car she found on Craig
slist and never received the
vehicle.
The woman reported to a
deputy with the Jackson Coun
ty Sheriff’s Office that she paid
a $400 deposit and the owner
of the car said he would give it
to her after he made a repair
to it. She has sent hundreds of
texts and he will not respond.
She said she wants her deposit
returned.
Other incidents reported
last week include:
• tools stolen from a vehicle
parked at an Edwin Reynolds
Road, Maysville, address.
•jewelry home furnishings
and other items taken from
a home on Donahoo Road,
Maysville.
• a burglary at a Firethorne
Point, Nicholson, address.
• cash stolen from a Hunt
ers Ridge Road, Nicholson,
location.
•a vehicle stolen from a
Maysville Road, Maysville,
address.
• a van taken from a Stee
ple Chase Road, Nicholson,
location.
• medicine stolen from
a Mount Olive Road, Com
merce, address.
• illegal dumping at a Wages
Bridge Road, Nicholson,
address.
•a child bitten by a dog
at a Gaillard Drive, Maysville,
residence.
•a window broken on a
home at a Nelva Lane, Com
merce, address.
•battery during a dispute
between two women at a Pond
Fork Way, Gillsville, address.
• harassing phone calls at a
Harmony Church Road, Gills
ville, address.
• suspicious phone call at a
Broad Street, Nicholson, busi
ness.
•A Slater Road, Maysville,
man said his neighbor’s dog
came into his yard and tried to
attack his dog.
Domestic Disputes
•A Commerce woman
reported that her ex-boyfriend
is harassing her and posting
naked photos of her on social
media. The woman told a dep
uty with the Jackson County
Sheriff’s Office that the man
has been driving by her resi
dence at all hours and even
following her. She said that he
also calls her juvenile daugh
ters and harasses them.
•a dispute between two
women at an Apple Valley
Road, Jefferson, address.
• a verbal dispute between
a man and his father at a Hunt
ers Ridge Road, Nicholson,
address.
• a dispute between a man
and his ex-girlfriend at a Glenn
Fuller Circle, Commerce,
address.
•battery during a dispute
at a Bradberry Court, Com
merce, location.
• a dispute between a mar
ried couple at a Pinetree Cir
cle, Maysville, residence.
• a dispute between a
man and his grandson at a
Hoods Mill Lane, Commerce,
address.
•property dispute between
a woman and her father at an
Erastus Church Road, Com
merce, location.
•A Commerce woman
said her ex-girlfriend made
threatening remarks to her.
HOMER WATER QUALITY REPORT 2015
We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence
Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide
details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards
set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. We are
committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general
population. Inummo-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing
chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other
immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections.
These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of
infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants arc available from the Safe
Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).
Homer has 1 well designated as Yonah Homer well which draws from water baring zone
unconfined rock aquifer. Water is also purchased from Banks County Water System which is
treated from the Mountain Creek Reservoir and impoundment on the Hudson River.
A source water protection plan is available from our office that provides analysis of each well in
compliance with the Georgia Well Head Protection Regulations. We aie a moderate
susceptibility ranking. Potential Pollution Sources are storm water runoff, domestic and non
domestic septic systems, abandoned vehicles, electrical transformers, utility poles and vehicle
parking areas. I am pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state
requirements.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that
water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can
be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water
Hotline (800-426-4791). The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water)
include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the
surface of the land or tlirough the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some
cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or
from human activity:
microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment
plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants,
such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater
runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming;
pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban
stormwater runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and
volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum
production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems;
and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas
production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA
prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public
water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for
contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
If you have questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Carol
Ayers or Willard Ausburn at 706-677-3510. Regular council meetings are held on the 2nd
Tuesday of each month 6:00pm at Town Hall, 943 Historic Homer Hwy.
Your water is treated by disinfection. Disinfection involves the addition of chlorine or other
disinfectant to kill dangerous bacteria and microorganisms that may be in the water. Disinfection
is considered to be one of the major public health advances of the 20th century.
Protection of drinking water is everyone's responsibility. You can help protect your community’s
drinking water source in several ways:
• Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides - they contain
hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.
• Pick up after your pets.
• If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to
water sources or consider connecting to a public water system.
• Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center.
• Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in
your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider slatting
one. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community, or visit the
Watershed Information Network's How to Start a Watershed Team.
• Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier.
Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people "Dump No Waste - Drains to
River" or "Protect Your Water." Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind
residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body.
Homer water system ID tt 0110000 had one violation of failure to collect and/or report
any of the required samples for microbiological (Colifonn) quality analysis during the
period of 8/1A2015-08/31/2015. This violation does not pose a threat to the quality of the
water supplied. We are taking corrective actions to insure that an adequate sampling
program is maintained.
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for
pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials
and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. CITY OF HOMER is
responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of
materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several
hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30
seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned
about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in
drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available
from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline oral http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Contaminants
MCLG
AL
Your
Water
Sample
Date
ft Samples
Exceeding
AL
Exceeds
AL
Typical Source
Inorganic Contaminants
Copper - action level at
consumer laps (ppm)
1.3
1.3
.025
2014
2
No
Corrosion of household
plumbing systems; Erosion of
natural deposits
Inorganic Contaminants
Lead - action level at
consumer taps (ppb)
0
15
2.5
2014
0
No
Corrosion of household
plumbing systems; Erosion of
natural deposits
Unit Descriptions
Term
Definition
ppm
ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppb
ppb: pans per billion, or micrograins per liter (pg/L)
NA
NA: not applicable
ND
ND: Not detected
NR
NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.
Important Drinking Water Definitions
Term
Definition
MCLG
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below
which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
MCL
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in
drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available
treatment technology.
TT
TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in
drinking water.
AL
AL: Actiou Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or
other requirements which a water system must follow.
Variances and
Exemptions
Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment
technique under certain conditions.
Important Drinking Water Definitions
MRDLG
MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. The level of a drinking water disinfectant
below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of
the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
MRDL
MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in
drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for
control of microbial contaminants.
MNR
MNR: Monitored Not Regulated
MPL
MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level
For more information please contact:
Contact Name: CAROL AYERS
Address: PO BOX 146
HOMER, GA 30547
Phone: 7066773510